New American Standard Bible 2020
Matthew 2:16
16Then when Herod saw that he had been tricked by 1the magi, he became very enraged, and sent men and 2killed all the boys who were in Bethlehem and all its vicinity 3who were two years old or under, according to the time which he had determined from the magi.
Matthew 2:16 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men.
- New International Version (NIV)When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men.
Context of Matthew 2:16
14So Joseph got up and took the Child and His mother while it was still night, and left for Egypt. 15He stayed there until the death of Herod; this happened so that what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet would be fulfilled: “Out of Egypt I called My Son.” Then when Herod saw that he had been tricked by the magi, he became very enraged, and sent men and killed all the boys who were in Bethlehem and all its vicinity who were two years old or under, according to the time which he had determined from the magi. 17Then what had been spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: 18“A voice was heard in Ramah, Weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children; And she refused to be comforted, Because they were no more.”
Read all of Matthew 2Matthew 2:16 word by word
Τότε Ἡρῴδης ἰδὼν ὅτι ἐνεπαίχθη ὑπὸ τῶν μάγων ἐθυμώθη λίαν, καὶ ἀποστείλας ἀνεῖλεν πάντας τοὺς παῖδας τοὺς ἐν Βηθλέεμ καὶ ἐν πᾶσιν τοῖς ὁρίοις αὐτῆς ἀπὸ διετοῦς καὶ κατωτέρω κατὰ τὸν χρόνον ὃν ἠκρίβωσεν παρὰ τῶν μάγων.¶Read the interlinear
- Thenτότεtote · thenG5119
- when HerodἩρώδηςHērōdēs · HerodG2264
- sawὁράωhoraō · to see: seeG3708
- that he had been trickedἐμπαίζωempaizō · to mockG1702
- the magiμάγοςmagos · sageG3097
- he became veryλίανlian · greatlyG3029
- enragedθυμόωthumoō · to angerG2373
- and sentἀποστέλλωapostellō · to sendG649
- killedἀναιρέωanaireō · to killG337
- allπᾶςpas · allG3956
- the boysπαῖςpais · childG3816
- who were in BethlehemΒηθλεέμBēthleem · BethlehemG965
- its vicinityὅριονhorion · regionG3725
- who were twoδιετήςdietēs · two years oldG1332
- accordingκατάkata · according toG2596
- to the timeχρόνοςchronos · timeG5550
- whichὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
Cross-references for Matthew 2:16
- Genesis 39:14she called to the men of her household and said to them, “See, he has brought in a Hebrew to us to make fun of us; he came in to me to sleep with me, and I screamed.
- Numbers 22:29And Balaam said to the donkey, “It is because you have made a mockery of me! If only there had been a sword in my hand! For I would have killed you by now!”
- Numbers 24:10Then Balak’s anger burned against Balaam, and he struck his hands together; and Balak said to Balaam, “I called you to curse my enemies, but behold, you have persisted in blessing them these three times!
- Judges 16:10Then Delilah said to Samson, “Behold, you have toyed with me and told me lies; now please tell me how you may be bound.”
- Job 12:4I am a joke to my friends, The one who called on God and He answered him; The just and blameless man is a joke.
- Proverbs 27:3A stone is heavy and the sand weighty, But the provocation of a fool is heavier than both of them.
- Daniel 3:13Then Nebuchadnezzar in rage and anger gave orders to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego; then these men were brought before the king.
- Genesis 49:7Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce; And their wrath, for it is cruel. I will scatter them in Jacob, And disperse them among Israel.
- 2 Kings 8:12And Hazael said, “Why is my lord weeping?” And he answered, “Because I know the evil that you will do to the sons of Israel: you will set their fortified cities on fire, you will kill their young men with the sword, their little ones you will smash to pieces, and you will rip up their pregnant women.”
- Proverbs 28:15Like a roaring lion and a rushing bear Is a wicked ruler over a poor people.
- Isaiah 26:21For behold, the Lord is about to come out from His place To punish the inhabitants of the earth for their wrongdoing; And the earth will reveal her bloodshed And will no longer cover her slain.
- Isaiah 59:7Their feet run to evil, And they hurry to shed innocent blood; Their thoughts are thoughts of wrongdoing, Devastation and destruction are in their paths.
- Hosea 10:14An uproar will arise among your people, And all your fortresses will be destroyed, As Shalman destroyed Beth-arbel on the day of battle, When mothers were slaughtered with their children.
- Revelation 17:6And I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus. When I saw her, I wondered greatly.
- Matthew 2:7Then Herod secretly called for the magi and determined from them the exact time the star appeared.
Commentaries on Matthew 2:16
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16Slew all the children - This cruelty of Herod seems alluded to in very decisive terms by Macrobius, who flourished toward the conclusion of the fourth Century. In his chapter De jocis Augusti in alios, et aliorum rursus in ipsum, he says, Cum audisset inter pueros, quos in Syria Herodes, rex Judeorum, intra bimatum jussit interfici, filium quoque ejus occisum, ait, Melius est Herodis Porcum esse, quam Filium. "When he heard that among those male infants…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men - When he saw that he had been deceived by them; that is, that they did not return as he had expected. It does not mean that they did it for the purpose of mocking or deriding him, but that he was disappointed in their not returning, or that he had been trifled with. Exceeding wroth - Very angry. He had been disappointed and deceived. He expected to send an executioner and kill Jesus alone. But…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 16-18Verses 16-18 Herod killed all the male children, not only in Bethlehem, but in all the villages of that city. Unbridled wrath, armed with an unlawful power, often carries men to absurd cruelties. It was no unrighteous thing with God to permit this; every life is forfeited to his justice as soon as it begins. The diseases and deaths of little children are proofs of original sin. But the murder of these infants was their martyrdom. How early did persecution…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16Put to death all the boys: Herod was famous for his cruelty. He even killed his own son to protect his throne. This led to the saying, “It is safer to be Herod’s pig [Greek hus] than his son [Greek huios].” This is because Herod followed Jewish kosher laws. two years old and under: Herod estimated the child's age based on the wise men’s report.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1616. Then Herod, &c.--As Deborah sang of the mother of Sisera: "She looked out at a window, and cried through the lattice, Why is his chariot so long in coming? why tarry the wheels of his chariots? Have they not sped?" so Herod wonders that his messengers, with pious zeal, are not hastening with the news that all is ready to receive him as a worshipper. What can be keeping them? Have they missed their way? Has any disaster befallen them? At length his…Read the comment
Topics related to Matthew 2:16
In the dictionaries
Notes
Commentaries on Matthew 2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Catena Aurea
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- John Lightfoot Commentary
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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